Rigidified mesh structure and process for obtaining same

ABSTRACT

The rigidified mesh structure includes filaments of at least one of metal and non-metal assembled in a mesh configuration, wherein the filaments are configured in a rigid structure by plating with metal. Desirably, the filaments include adjacent contact points which are fused together by the plated metal.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application S No. 60/339,193, Filed Dec. 11, 2001.

[0002] The present invention relates to a rigidified mesh structure and a method of obtaining same. The present invention utilizes metallic and/or non-metallic fibers using electrodeposition or electroforming in order to rigidify the structure and fuse adjacent fibers into a porous matrix.

[0003] In accordance with the present invention, individual fibers or filaments of metal, wire or other metallic fibers or filaments or non-metallic fibers or filaments are woven or otherwise assembled into a mesh configuration. The resultant mesh configuration includes a plurality of such fibers or filaments that are freely formed into an assembled structure which may have wide ranging configurations. The resultant formed mesh is subsequently fused into a rigid structure in accordance with the present invention. The rigidification process is achieved through electrodeposition or electroforming, whereby the assembled fiber or filament structure is immersed in a plating solution as cathode and the desired metal is electroformed or electrodeposited onto the mesh structure in a desired thickness in order to coat the mesh structure and fuse adjacent contact points where the mesh structure fibers contact each other. This results in a rigidified structure including the base wire, fibers or filaments and coated metal thereon to provide a highly stable and readily obtained structure having the desired configurations. The resulting rigidified structures are extremely pleasing from an aesthetic point of view and may be used for a variety of applications, especially jewelry or ornamental products, but not limited to these products.

[0004] The product and process of the present invention offers extensive advantages.

[0005] Thus, rigid, light-weight three dimensional, mesh-like or porous materials can be readily and easily formed in a range of configurations not readily obtained by conventional processing.

[0006] Fibers and wires or other filaments can be readily woven or formed into an enormous range of patterns by procedures such as braiding or knitting, which allows an unlimited range of movement, expansion and contraction. Also, the density of the woven material and the size of the pores can be varied and one has the ability to conform the base material to curved and compound curved surfaces or the like. The subsequent rigidification process allows this flexible, malleable lattice to be readily transformed into a rigid metal structure with any degree of density or perforation desired. Since braids, knits and other woven and non-woven mesh constructions are highly engineered, and since metal deposits in microscopic increments, the process of the present invention offers tremendous control over pore-size, shape, density and weight of the finished rigidified, metal coated structure.

[0007] The nature of most electro-deposited metals is to be deposited in a work-hardened state, with a certain amount of control over degrees of strength, hardness, spring, etc. Therefore the rigidified structures of the present invention are able to be made in a very light-weight range, as well as virtually any desired heavier range, which are difficult to achieve with other metal fabrication or forming processes.

[0008] Since the rigidification process of the present invention is a cold-forming process, a structured mesh can easily be formed around heat-sensitive items such as glass or plastic, which are intended to become an integral part of the rigidified structure. The cold-forming aspect also may include removable mandrills under the fiber mesh, such as wax, which can be melted out of the formed, perforated structure after rigidification.

[0009] The present invention is particularly suitable for the manufacture of jewelry and home accessories, since the process of the present invention allows for delicately filigreed, lightweight and strong structures that are not readily manufacturable by any other means. In this application, various decorative braided or knitted structures are chosen for their aesthetic and functional properties, and are generally woven from very fine wires into flat or tubular configurations which are stretched and easily cold-formed into desired three- dimensional shapes, such as for jewelry components. Meshes of such delicacy woven from such fine wires would never withstand wear. However, in accordance with the present invention, fusing and rigidifying the forms in accordance with the present invention into rigid, lightweight structures offers numerous significant advantages.

[0010] Traditionally, mesh jewelry generally has to be formed from heavy gauge wire in order to have enough strength to be worn, resulting in difficulties, such as a limited range of patterns and forms available as well as high costs for pressing tools to make the forms, and a heavier, less economical use of material. The process of the present invention allows much finer gauge wires to be used, allowing much more delicate and intricate patterns that would otherwise be too delicate to withstand wear. For example, although any base mesh gage can be used, one can readily use base wire or mesh gage of 0.008 inch, and preferably one uses base wire or mesh gages of from 0.003-0.01 inch. The process of the present invention retains the desired original highly detailed perforated pattern, but by rigidifying and fusing all of the crossing points the pattern is transformed into an extremely lightweight, rigid structure with hardness, strength, and aesthetic delicacy from an unstable and fragile structure.

[0011] Other traditional processes for manufacturing woven patterns or filigreed structures, such as casting, stamping soldering are not as suitable and do not allow the significant advantages of the electroformed rigidification process of the present invention.

[0012] Thus, for example, casting generally requires a certain minimum thickness for the metal to flow through and fill without chilling or creating gaps in the casting. Lost wax casting requires the manufacture of waxes, usually in rubber molds. Wax requires an even larger cavity in order to fill properly. Both wax and metal would chill before filling cavities of the dimension that the electroformed rigidification process of the present invention allows. In addition, there is a tendency for wax and metal to flash across parting lines in the molds and cracks in the investment. Moreover, cast metals are generally dead-soft and the delicate structures would collapse and have no spring or memory. Also, few casting alloys allow tempering and the process of the present invention allows the use of fine gold and fine silver, for example, which are difficult to cast and which produce extremely soft castings. The process of the present invention allows light weight, filigreed structures to be formed in these materials at close to their maximum hardness. The finishing process of raw castings is extensive and generally requires the abrasive removal of metal from the surface, eroding surface detail. In the electroformed rigidification process of the present invention, a metallic layer can be applied with a very bright, high quality surface which requires minimum abrasive finishing, preserving a high level of detail in the finished object. Although a wide variety of coating or plating thicknesses can be used, one preferably coats in the range of 0.005 to 0.05 inch. In accordance with the present invention, metal fibers can be braided or knitted in a tubular configuration which can be stretched or deformed with or without removable internal mandrills, allowing volumetric, filigreed structures which lost-wax casting does not easily allow as two-piece clamshell assemblies would be required.

[0013] On the other hand, stampings require expensive stages of tooling and die-work and would be unable to adapt to any variations in manufactured items, such as encasing a hand-blown crystal object in silver mesh. Stamped filigree of any strength would not allow variations in the integral glass mandrill. On the other hand, woven wire is infinitely adaptable. In addition, volumetric forms would require clamshell assemblies. Any hard-soldering of clamshell assemblies would require annealing during assembly with resultant loss of strength, and hot assembly prohibits the use of any integral heat-sensitive components, i.e., soldering stamped components around a crystal bowl would shatter the bowl. The process of the present invention would allow filigreed mesh to be cold-formed closely to the contour of the surface of the crystal bowl with no soldered assembly required. Still further, perforations in stamped sheets or other solid forms result in large amounts of scrap. On the other hand, the process of the present invention builds the structure from the inside out, and therefore scrap is virtually eliminated.

[0014] Referring to soldering, a soldering process by definition, adds molten metal to the item which tends to flow via capillary action into the crossing points and pores of the assembly, obscuring the detail and open structure desired. The heat involved in soldering or other types of fusing, welding or sintering, disallows the use of heat-sensitive integral mandrills as well as removable mandrills, such as wax. Hard-soldering, required for precious metals, will result in an annealed structure and loss of strength.

[0015] The present invention is also readily adaptable to numerous potential applications. For example, the process of the present invention may be used to form intricately linked, rigidified structures, such as chains or milanese mesh. Alternatively, one can selectively rigidify by means of a stop-off (non-conductive plating-resist material) applied to selected areas, allowing these areas to remain flexible while their adjoining zones are rigidified. The process of the present invention may be used wherein the flexible mesh is formed or stretched over a removable mandrill. For example, molded wax or other soluble or removable substrate which is then removed, allowing the finished or rigidified structure to retain the shape of the mandrill's contour or volumetric form. The process of the present invention may be used wherein the mandrill becomes an integral part of the product. For example, forming woven or braided mesh over or around a glass or stone object and rigidifying, resulting in a filigreed metal structure applied to the surface of the mandrill. The process of the present invention may be used where the metallic deposit is achieved by electrodeposition as well as the so-called electroless deposition such as electroless nickel. The process of the present invention may also be used with non-conductive filaments such as nylon, which are woven into a structure and rendered conductive by an electrolyzing process, and rigidified as aforesaid. The process of the present invention may also be used wherein three-dimensional objects are created with fibers, either by compression into a die or other means, in which fibers fill the full volume of the form, as with compressed mesh bushings and washers. Still further, the process of the present invention may be used wherein the rigidified structure is used in place of other perforated structures, such as expanded sheet metal or perforated sheet metal. In addition, the process of the present invention may be used wherein a conductive strip or foil tape is used in place of metal fibers.

[0016] In addition to the foregoing, the present invention is readily susceptible to numerous other applications, such as industrial applications. For example, rigid, perforated filters, strainers with any desired mesh size or density may be easily conformed to any mandrill shape, i.e., a cone-shaped or contoured filter. In addition, the present invention may be used with EMI or RFI electrical shielding applications, especially when shielding mesh requires greater durability and/or rigidity. In addition, the present invention may also be used with forming of a mesh component over a non-conductive substrate. In addition, the present invention may also be used with armoring delicate or soft elements, such as rubber tubing, while possibly stopping off sections to allow flexibility. In addition, the present invention may also be used to create a seamless cage around objects which are allowed to move freely within that cage. This is achieved by molding a removable substrate such as wax, around said objects, forming flexible mesh around the wax form, rigidifying and melting out the wax.

[0017] In addition to the foregoing, the present invention may be used to create mechanically linked assemblies. For example, hour-glass shaped connecting units may be first fabricated by die swaging, machining, or any means. Units may be inserted into a mold which contains a final pattern or linked assembly without separation between the linked elements. The pattern is configured so that areas which are to be later separated are necked down to a dimension smaller than the widest diameter of hour-glass-shaped units. The hour-glass-shaped units are inserted at these neck-down junctures in the mold, and the electroformed matrix is molded around them. In addition, a shell of metal may be electroformed over the entire object as a single unit. Alternatively, the shell may be cut apart at the junctures without cutting through the hourglass inserts, and the mandrill may be melted out through the resultant openings.

[0018] Advantageously, the present invention allows one to obtain connected components that swivel or rotate universally, or connected elements can be of any complex, varied shape that electroforming allows, unlike die-swage ball chain which must be symmetrical. The present invention also allows pull or push springs to be strung through hour-glass units, effecting contraction of series after spreading apart and vice-versa.

[0019] In the preferred embodiment one employs a base mesh of copper, brass, silver, gold, nickel or steel or mixtures thereof. Plating or coating metals preferably employed are copper, silver, gold, platinum, nickel and combinations thereof.

EXAMPLE

[0020] An original form of a cuff bracelet in accordance with the present invention is created from a mesh braided from double-stranded 0.008″ fine silver wire. This form is immersed into a stainless steel plating tank with the following chemical mixture at 105-110 degrees temperature: Silver Cyanide: 14-16 oz/gallon Potassium Cyanide: 12-18 oz/gallon Potassium Carbonate:   2 oz/gallon Potassium Hydroxide:  0-4 oz/gallon Commercial Brightener:  4-6 oz/gallon

[0021] The anodes were fine silver and the cathode was the mesh bracelet. The current used was approximately 3 amps per sq. foot of cathode. The bracelet was plated for 6 hours to a thickness of 0.007-0.008″ thickness on all sides, which was enough to fuse all of the wire crossings as well as to add enough strength to the bracelet to withstand wear, but light enough to preserve the open structure of the mesh.

[0022] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrations described and shown herein, which are deemed to be merely illustrative of the best modes of carrying out the invention, and which are susceptible of modification of form, size, arrangement of parts and details of operation. The invention rather is intended to encompass all such modifications which are within its spirit and scope as defined by the claims. 

What is claimed:
 1. A rigid mesh structure, which comprises: filaments of at least one of metal and non-metal assembled in a mesh configuration; wherein said filaments are configured in a rigid mesh structure by plating with metal.
 2. A rigid structure according to claim 1, wherein said filaments in said mesh configuration include adjacent contact points which are fused together by said plated metal.
 3. A rigid structure according to claim 2, wherein said filaments are plated by electrodeposition with metal.
 4. A rigid structure according to claim 2, wherein said filaments are plated by electroless metal deposition.
 5. A rigid structure according to claim 2, wherein said rigid mesh structure is one of an article of jewelry and an ornamental product.
 6. A rigid structure according to claim 3, wherein said plated metal is in a work hardened state.
 7. A rigid structure according to claim 2, wherein said filaments are one of glass and plastic.
 8. A rigid structure according to claim 2, wherein said filaments are one of braided and knitted.
 9. A rigid structure according to claim 2, wherein said filaments are one of glass, plastic metal wire and metal filaments.
 10. A rigid structure according to claim 9, wherein said filaments have a gage of 0.003 to 0.01 inch, and said plating has a thickness of 0.005 to 0.05 inch.
 11. A method for forming a rigid mesh structure, which comprises: assembling filaments of at least one of metal and non-metal in a mesh configuration; and plating said filaments with metal to form a rigid mesh structure.
 12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said filaments are assembled in a mesh configuration with adjacent contact points, and including the step of fusing said adjacent contact points together by said plated metal.
 13. A method according to claim 12, including the step of plating said filaments by electrodeposition with metal.
 14. A method according to claim 12, including the step of plating said filaments by electroless metal deposition.
 15. A method according to claim 12, including the step of forming one of a rigid mesh article of jewelry and a rigid mesh ornamental product.
 16. A method according to claim 12, including the step of assembling filaments of one of glass, plastic, metal wire and metal filaments.
 17. A method according to claim 12, including the step of assembling filaments in one of a braided and knitted configuration.
 18. A method according to claim 16, wherein said filaments have a gage of 0.003 to 0.01 inch, and said plating has a thickness of 0.005 to 0.05 inch. 